Starting a Freelance Bookkeeping Journey: Seeking Advice from Experienced Professionals

Embarking on a new career path can be both exhilarating and daunting. My wife, after two decades of extensive experience in Accounting and Bookkeeping, is ready to take the leap and launch her own freelance Bookkeeping business. Having worked in various roles—from overseeing payroll for a cable company with over 800 employees to managing finances for real estate developments and automotive businesses—she possesses a robust skill set that she is eager to utilize in serving clients directly.

Currently, she is fine-tuning her brand: her website is nearly complete, she’s diligently finishing her QuickBooks certifications, and her engagement letter and resume have been polished to perfection. With her focus on smaller, mid-sized, and emerging businesses, she aims to provide a cost-effective solution without offering tax services, as she is neither a CPA nor an EA. Her strengths lie in cleaning up financial records, analyzing profit and loss statements, creating balance sheets, and identifying cost-saving opportunities—all while prioritizing automation.

As we gear up to launch her services, we’re planning to start by reaching out to local CPA firms. This leads to a critical question: what is the best approach for making that initial contact? Should we opt for an email introduction, make a phone call, or perhaps drop by in person? I would appreciate any insights on creating a strong first impression.

Moreover, I am open to suggestions on effective strategies for attracting clients and general advice for establishing a freelance bookkeeping practice.

Thank you in advance for your guidance! Your collective wisdom could play a pivotal role in this new endeavor.